First oil change (do it myself job)

HowardZ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 5, 1999
Location
m
After work today I did my own oil change.
I used those Blitz ramps people were recommending. It barely leaves enough room for me under the car while on my creeper.

First thing I noticed was that a few of the #25 torx screws were starting to rust. After removing the bottom engine cover I found corrosive white dust at several locations. My first thought was acid from the battery, but the battery top looked clean and some of the white dust was some distance away - under the center of the engine.

The oil drain plug came off easily, but the washer would not come off over the threads. No big deal since I am replacing it with a magnetic oil drain plug. The original plug uses a 19mm socket, and the magnetic one uses 14mm.

I wanted to remove the Amsoil BE90 bypass oil filter to let the dirty oil out and then put it back on. I could not do this because none of my many oil filter wrenches could fit it.

The factory oil filter came off. It took me a while to find where the two original o-rings are in order to replace them.

I first used the oil filter wrench I purchased at Wall Mart : A vector type J filter Wrench 76mm with 14 flutes. It is made of some special tough plastic. This filter wrench got damaged from the torque and ended up sliding around the oil filter top. Then I used the Oil-Tite model 65048 that I purchased from Trak-Auto. It is made of metal and did the job fine. Too bad I didn't save the receipt for the Vector brand - then I could have returned it.

I poured in 1 gallon of chevron delo 400 5w-40 oil, and poured the dirty oil into the container. It was a match!

The oil level was at the bottom bend of the dipstick just where the cross hatch begins. So I added a little to get it to the top of the cross hatch area.

Tomorrow I'll mail my oil sample off for analysis.
 

Turbo Steve

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 11, 2000
Location
.
Howard:

Nice Post!


BTW - Is this your 5,000 or 10,000 mile service?

Did you ever have any luck in replacing the lower intercooler return line with a larger more efficient hose? If so, what brand or part number did you use?
 

valois

Banned
Joined
Jan 11, 2000
Howard, try a chain wrench on the bypass, providing the canister is robust enough to handle it and you have suffecient clearance. A good strap wrench might work also.
 

TDIsmokin

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2000
Location
Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada
You waited 5000 miles to do your first oil change!!!
Sorry , not even in my world of reality.
I did my first one at 800 miles. Yeah I read about special break in oil.
Hogwash. To each his own... Howard, how long will you keep this car. Mine minimum 10 years.

------------------
TDIsmokin
Claude

I am an elitist. I drive a TDI!!
 

Ted

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2000
Location
Huntsville, AL USA
Claude,

With the by-pass filter installed, almost all (about 97%) of the solid particles above 3 microns are removed from the oil, so there are no abrasives. This is sort of the whole idea of this type system. See, I did that without mentioning the "A" word.


The canisters of these by-pass filter elements are very robust - a strap wrench sounds perfect. You can also use the wrench that is made for removing the Ford Powerstroke Diesel oil filters - the diameter of these is about the same.

Ted
 

Ric Woodruff

BANNED, Ric went to Coventry.
Joined
Feb 19, 1999
Howard, data from an oil analysis at 5,000 miles of your vehicle is useless. During most of those miles, your engine was still breaking in, so oil analysis number are meaningless during that time period.

In fact, my manual states that the engine is breaking in during the first 3,000 miles. I can tell you that my own engine was STILL breaking in between 40K and 50K miles, as evidenced by my MPG still increasing during that time period.

------------------
Ric Woodruff

Braumeister von Sehr Gutem Bier
Since the Last Millennium

1998 Jetta TDI Sport

Great band at: www.carolinespine.com
 

TDI Believer

Responsible For Global Warming
Joined
Sep 20, 1999
Location
Charles Town,WV
TDI
2012 Touareg TDI
I'm putting in an Amsoil bypass too - but I'm still using Delvac-1. The Amsoil bypass filter is a nice setup.

Howard,

Just punch a large screwdriver through that Amsoil filter and use it for leverage.
 

Turbo Steve

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 11, 2000
Location
.
I too changed my breakin oil at 216 miles and installed a Bypass System with a BE-90 (1 quart) filter at about 1,500 miles. (My kids go a kick out of seeing all those shiney stars (metal flakes) in the oil pan.)

As a precautionary measure during the TDI engine's breakin period, I changed the OEM and Bypass Filter at 5,000 and 10,000 miles respectively.

I've found that (besides an oil filter wrench) using latex gloves greatly helps in removing oil filters, including the large Bypass Filters. (These rubber gloves also easily unscrew the A4 TDI's oil filter cap too.)

If the gloves won't work on the large filter, simply take a screwdriver and drive it through the bypass filter (horizontally) and use it to break the filter loose.

Howard,

I interested checking out your oil analysis results, since we both have an Oil Pan Heater and the same Bypass Systems. We do, however, use different types of synthetic oils, and drive under different conditions, with my results being for double the length of time. I also experience very few cold starts if any at all.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/NonCGI/Forum5/HTML/000982.html
 

HowardZ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 5, 1999
Location
m
So many questions and comments.

I did not want to replace the BE-90 filter. I just wanted to remove it, drain the old oil out of it, and put it back in use. A BE-90 is supposed to last 1 full year or 25,000 miles whichever comes first. I couldn't remove the BE-90. I'll change it at the next oil change at 10k miles. I'll go shopping for a larger oil filter wrench. I also didn't have a small low torque range torque wrench for the factory oil filter, so I just tightened it like I tighten spark plugs on a gasoline engine.

In the event that there is an expensive warranty claim against VW in the future, I am documenting that I indeed changed my oil by saving receipts for supplies, and also having oil analysis done. Especially if every oil analysis I do at every oil change says something like "no oil change needed", yet I did it anyway. Besides, oil analysis results are fun to look at, and help keep the oil forum alive.

The bypass oil filter was installed at around 1000 miles (I can't remember exactly). During the job some oil was lost. Two quarts of Chevron Delo 400 5w-40 synthetic oil was added at that time. So the engine probably lost 1 out of its 4.5 quarts, plus an additional quart is held in the BE-90. The oil is probably 3.5 quarts of factory oil (whatever they are using) + 2.0 quarts of the Chevron Delo 400 5w-40 synthetic. When I first came to the tdi forums I read Mickey's posts about how wonderful these bypass filters are, and this is why I purchased one. The only brand of bypass filters I knew about was Amsoil. I am still happy with the choice because I do not feel comfortable with "toilet-paper" filters. I'd rather spend $20 to $30 every 25,000 miles and be using a professional looking filter.

Come to think about it, I don't think anybody ever did an oil analysis of the factory oil. It will be interesting to see the oil analysis of the factory oil with under 100 miles on it - just to get an idea of the quality of the oil. But, it's not so important.

If I don't get 10 years out of a car I feel like I've been swindled. I sold my first car that I used in University because I didn't really like it. My second car was a 2 year old 76 Chevy Camaro and I kept it until it was 15 years old with 198k miles on it. My 91 Honda Civic is 9 years old with 193k miles on it and I still drive it. It wasn't necessary to replace it with the VW, but I was worried about Y2K late last year, and anyway I love the car. I am still hoping for a massive 1974/1979 style fuel crises this year to help justify buying the TDI. I certainly can't justify the 2 cords of firewood sitting in my garage.


[This message has been edited by HowardZ (edited May 31, 2000).]
 
M

mickey

Guest
He he...he...I need TP for my bypass! My people...they are without TP! He he he!

-mickey
 

HowardZ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 5, 1999
Location
m
Today I purchased an Truck oil filter wrench at Pep Boys that is made for oil filters from 4 inches to 4 3/8 inches. It fits the BE-90 very well, but I won't remove it until the next oil change.
 

TDIsmokin

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2000
Location
Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada
SOOO much exitement over Howie's first oil change. Were you this popular the first day of school when you were a kid??
I hope you taste tested the oil as well...

------------------
TDIsmokin
Claude

I am an elitist. I drive a TDI!!
 

Ted

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2000
Location
Huntsville, AL USA
In a diesel application, the by-pass filter lasts twice as long as your regular filter. In a pickup truck diesel for example, you can go 15k/1 year with the by-pass filter before changing it. The quoted service life of 25,000 miles/1 year is for GAS engines only ....

TooSlick
 

valois

Banned
Joined
Jan 11, 2000
Z, has done some amazing stuff to his car, and I for one am very fond of him.
I like to banter with him, it's a rare soul that can make an adventure out of an oil change. I have learned from him also. You keep posting Howard, there are alot of people out there that have never changed their oil, or dealt with a bypass before, now they know how.

[This message has been edited by valois (edited June 01, 2000).]
 

HowardZ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 5, 1999
Location
m
Today I purchased a small torque wrench that measures upto 250 inch-lb of torque. My big torque wrench doesn't have a torque setting so low as 25nm. I'm going to loosen and retorque the oil filter top this evening.
 

HowardZ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 5, 1999
Location
m
Ted, I beg to differ with your opinion about the lifetime of a BE-90 filter element.

I refer you to the Amsoil web page:
BE-90

25k miles is for "Pleasure Vehicles, Light Trucks and Smaller Commercial Applications"

2 X normal oil drain interval is for "Large Trucks, Construction, Farm and Industrial Equipment (minimum sump capacity = 15 qt.)"

There is no mention of 2 X normal oil filter change interval.

Also no mention is made of differences between gasoline and diesel engines.

A note for the entire column says that it involves a gasoline non-turbocharged engine. So this applies to both the 25,000miles and the 2 X normal oil filter change intervals.

[This message has been edited by HowardZ (edited June 01, 2000).]
 

TDI Believer

Responsible For Global Warming
Joined
Sep 20, 1999
Location
Charles Town,WV
TDI
2012 Touareg TDI
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by HowardZ:
Today I purchased a small torque wrench that measures upto 250 inch-lb of torque. My big torque wrench doesn't have a torque setting so low as 25nm. I'm going to loosen and retorque the oil filter top this evening.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Howard, if it ain't broke (not leaking), don't fix it. Use the torque wrench the next time you change the filter.
 

TDIsmokin

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2000
Location
Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada
Cant wait to see all these bypass filters at the Rally in Wilmington. Shall we have a Bypass filter "style" competition??
1/best dressed
2/prettiest color
3/best install
4/best functionality
5/Most AR owner
6/best oil analysis (you have to bring results)

I'll be bypassing some of you on the interstate I hope.

------------------
TDIsmokin
Claude

I am an elitist. I drive a TDI!!
 

Jackmc

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2000
Location
Waxhaw NC
TDI
2012 Sportwagen
I see people saying that they added this bypass system. I would like to know where I can get one of these.

------------------
Jack from Anaheim
'70 Convertible VW Bug.
'00 Silver NB TDI Auto.
 
M

mickey

Guest
Jackmc: I'll sum up for you. All engines come with a full-flow oil filter. All the oil flows through the filter on every pass through the engine. If the filter clogs up a spring-loaded bypass valve opens up to allow oil to...bypass...the filter. (Hence the name, eh!)

A full-flow filter design is important because it will quickly remove large particles that could cause immediate engine damage. But since all of the oil must flow through on every pass the filters cannot remove very small particles. (The kind that slowly cause long term engine damage.) The only way to remove the smaller particles is to drain and replace the engine oil.

A "bypass filter" is a supplemental, very fine-mesh filter that removes tiny abrasive particles from the oil. Only a small percentage (10% or so when the filter is clean) of the oil flow is diverted through the bypass filter. The bypass filter is in no hurry because any particles that sneak past the main filter won't immediately wreck your engine. The oil can take its own sweet time seeping through the bypass filter. When it emerges on the other side it's squeaky clean! And if you leave the bypass filter in there too long and it clogs up you're no worse off than with the stock system because it's in a totally separate circuit. If the bypass filter clogs up, the oil simply bypasses the bypass filter.


The practical upshot is that it's possible to almost totally eliminate abrasive wear. I can think of 5 basic ways that an engine wears out:

1. Abrasive wear. (Self explanatory.)
2. Metal-to-metal contact.
3. "Dry startup": No oil pressure when the engine is first started. This accounts for a large percentage of engine wear, especially if you start and stop the engine frequently throughout the day.
4. Damage due to corrosive combustion byproducts.
5. Deformation of internal parts due to mechanical stresses. (For instance "cam ramping.")

A bypass filter can almost totally eliminate abrasive wear.

Good quality synthetic oil can almost eliminate the possibility of metal-to-metal contact during normal operation, and it can maintain its ability to prevent contact for a very long time compared to "dino" oil. Viscosity breakdown from molecular deterioration won't happen to good synthetic oil until long after the oil is rendered useless due to other non-mechanical factors, such as chemical contamination or oxidation.

"Dry startup" wear can be reduced by using synthetic oil, which tends to "stick" to metal surfaces. But the only way to eliminate it would be to pre-warm and circulate the oil before the engine is started. That would be impractical for a passenger car engine, but it is possible (though VERY expensive) to install an electric oil circulating pump that could be tied to the glow plug circuit. The oil pressure would be ready to go by the time the glow time is done! This would be a very hard core mod, though, and probably a total waste of time if you use synthetic oil and only start the engine 2 or 3 times a day.

The oil's additives package is designed to combat damage from corrosive chemicals. Measuring the remaining TBN, or "total base number" of the oil is a good way to tell you how much of the oil's additives package remains. When the TBN of the used oil reaches 50% of the initial TBN it's time to change the oil. Heavy duty diesel oils with a CG-4 or CH-4 rating have relatively high initial TBNs and the correct additives to keep soot particles in suspension, so they'll tend to "last" longer in the engine than lesser oils.

Mechanical deformation is the result of physical stress combined with heat. It is inevitable, though the rate of deterioration of SOME parts can be slowed simply by avoiding high speeds and heavy engine loads. But cam lobes tend to be the first things to become deformed to the point that they affect engine performance, and this has more to do with time and the quality of the materials than anything else. Diesel engines are far more suceptible to damage parts deformation than gassers for the simple reason that they LAST LONGER. Hours in service is by far the biggest factor here. Something eventually has to kill your engine. The goal is to have it "die" because the bearing journals and cam lobes have been slowly squashed out of shape. This won't happen for a VERY long time!

With a good bypass filter and synthetic oil with a high initial TBN you can go incredible distances between oil changes. In fact it's conceivable that, with the EGR valve disabled, you might be able to entirely eliminate oil changes because the couple of quarts here and there that you would change along with the filter elements would keep the oil fresh enough that it would never need to be drained! But in practice a 30,000 to 50,000 mile change interval is a more realistic, conservative number.

Bypass filter systems are not easy to install. You need an oil source, and a place to return the oil after it's been filtered. If you have an older TDI with a spin-on filter you can buy a combination full-flow/bypass kit. A fitting spins on the stock filter flange and the oil flows to the kit through rubber hoses. Most of it passes through the new full-flow filter and is immediately returned to the engine, but 10% or so is diverted through the bypass filter. If you have an A4 TDI with the drop-in filter you stick with the stock full-flow filter and add some kind of a "T" connector at the oil pressure sender. (One side of the "T" is for the sending unit, and the other side goes to the bypass filter.)

Once the oil is filtered it has to be returned to the engine. If you have the "dual" kit installed in place of a spin-on filter that part is easy. The oil leaves the engine and returns again the same way it always did. But with an A4 the situation is more tricky. You can use the turbocharger's oil return line, you can tap into the oil pan or the valve cover, you can install some kind of "hollow" oil drain plug...but whatever you do it'll have to be pretty creative.

-mickey
 

HowardZ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 5, 1999
Location
m
I retorqued the oil filter cap.
It was definitely over torqued.
I think even hand tightening it like Ric suggested might be over torqing it.

I think no damage was done.
This little torque wrench is good for low torque quantities to avoid over-torqing things. (I love the clicking sound
)
 
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